


i ask the stars up above

by sopaloma



Series: bughead through the decades [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 1950s, Alternate Universe, F/M, Greaser AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-01 02:44:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13988814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sopaloma/pseuds/sopaloma
Summary: Nice girls like Betty didn’t go on dates with boys like Jughead. Her mother would lose her mind if she knew she was even thinking about it.She sighs, smiles apologetically. “Thanks but... no thanks.”He chuckles. “You want me to pine for you, Cooper?”She shakes her head but can’t smother her smile. “Goodnight, Jughead.”He winks. “Later.”A 50s AU.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> title from Dion & the Belmonts, “Teenager In Love”
> 
> this is the penultimate story in this series - there is one more after this. crazy, considering i only planned for this to be three parts...
> 
> timeline here is around 1958. i couldn't write anything _but_ a greaser au for this era, so here we are

It all starts at the drive-in.

Veronica drags her there the last Saturday of summer break, fresh from a fight with Reggie.

“I’m sick of him. I need to cut loose, B, and Paul Newman is gonna help me do that.”

Betty buys them snacks from the stand — a bucket of popcorn and a Coke to share — and when she returns to her car, she finds her sat on the hood, batting her eyelashes at a tall, dark-haired guy. He has his back to her and she can see the green snake stitched into the back of his leather jacket. His slick-backed hair shines beneath the light coming from the movie screen.

Veronica’s face lights up when she sees her.

“B, come over here. Let me introduce you.” Betty places the snacks on the hood and smiles tightly at the guy. “This is my best friend, Betty Cooper. Betty, this is Sweet Pea.”

Betty makes sure she doesn’t wrinkle her nose at his nickname and holds her hand out for him to shake. Good manners were important.

He takes her hand and winks. “Nice to meet you.”

He is handsome but in a different way than Reggie and the other guys they hang out with. He is rough around the edges, not as neat and pressed. And there’s a twinkle in his eyes that looks like trouble.

She smiles politely. “You, too.”

“I was just telling Sweet Pea here that we don’t have any plans for the night,” Veronica says, a little smile on her lips that Betty doesn’t like at all.

She was playing with fire.

“How about you girls come hang with us?”

Betty frowns. “Us?”

As if on cue, two other guys approach them, all clad in leather jackets. The broader one claps a hand on Sweet Pea’s shoulder.

“Hey, you got any smokes?”

“Here, man,” the other one says, pulling a cigarette from behind his ear and offering it out.

Betty looks over at him and gives him a once-over. He’s handsome, too — just like his friends with his slick-backed hair and his tight t-shirt — and something clenches in Betty’s stomach when she takes in his light blue eyes and the shape of his lips. Its attraction, she realizes, and Betty quickly looks away before he catches her.

“This is Veronica and Betty,” Sweet Pea tells the broader guy who half-smiles and nods. “This is Fangs,” he says, throwing a thumb over his shoulder, “and this is Jughead,” he adds, grabbing his shoulder and jostling him.

Jughead — all of their nicknames were so strange — curls his lip at Sweet Pea and straightens himself up.

“Hey.” He nods and then looks up, his eyes immediately finding Betty’s.

Her breath catches in her throat and she breaks the contact, quickly turning her gaze to Veronica, who is giggling at something Sweet Pea is saying.

“I didn’t know Northside girls were allowed to talk to guys like us,” Sweet Pea says, stepping closer to Veronica until his body is pressed against her.

Betty watches them warily, unsure of what game Veronica is playing. Reggie would go nuts if he found out she was flirting with another boy.

“We’re not,” Veronica replies, one corner of her mouth turned up. “But I’ve always been a rebel.”

Sweet Pea cocks one eyebrow. “Is that so?”

Betty sighs and picks up the Coke. She leans back against the car and takes a sip at the straw, staring up at the screen overhead. _Cat on a Hot Tin Roof_ is playing, Elizabeth Taylor lighting up the screen in a pristine, white dress.

“Liz Taylor fan?”

Betty jumps at the sound of the voice and turns, surprised to see Jughead next to her. He leans back against the car too, lit cigarette dangling from his mouth.

“Um, yeah,” she replies. “She’s beautiful.”

He shrugs. “She’s okay. I prefer blondes.”

Their eyes meet, his stare focused and intense, and Betty blushes. She looks away, shakes her head.

“You’re crazy. She’s one of the best looking actresses around.”

“Maybe.” He smirks. “But I still prefer blondes.”

Her eyes flicker over to him again and he’s still looking at her, still watching.

She hears Veronica giggle beside her and looks over, gasping when she sees Sweet Pea leaning in to kiss her neck.

“V!”

Veronica’s head snaps over to look at her and she suddenly comes to, recognizes where she is and _who_ she’s with.

She pushes Sweet Pea away. “Oh, no, lover boy. I may be a rebel but I’m still a good girl.”

Sweet Pea barks out a laugh, eyes still sparkling, not even slightly perturbed by her sudden rejection.

“You playing hard to get, dollface?”

Veronica rolls her eyes and hops down off the hood.

“Come on, B. Let’s go. We’ve already seen this movie anyway.” She wiggles her fingers. “Bye, boys.”

Betty throws the Coke into the trash and grabs the popcorn as she approaches the driver side of the car. She is just about to open the door when someone grabs her hand.

“Will I see you again?” Jughead asks, still holding her hand.

Her eyebrows knit together. “Huh?”

He smiles — the slightest uptick of his mouth. “I wanna see you again.”

She laughs softly. “You don’t even know me.”

“I know you’re beautiful,” he says quietly, and Betty’s lips part in shock.

She recovers quickly, pulling her hand from his and smoothing it across her skirt.

“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

His smile widens. “Only the beautiful ones.”

She turns quickly and climbs inside the car, not wanting him to see the heat in her cheeks.

Sweet Pea yells, “I’ll see you around, Veronica Lodge!” as they drive away and when Betty looks in the sideview mirror, Jughead is stood where she left him, watching them leave.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty pretends not to notice the way Reggie grabs at Veronica’s wrists so hard his fingers go white or makes comments about her clothes and how she’s giving men the wrong idea.

She had asked Veronica about it once, not long after they started dating. She had dismissed her, shrugged it off.

“He’s just a goof, B. He doesn’t mean it.”

Betty doesn’t think he’s just a goof. She thinks he’s mean and aggressive and Veronica can do a lot better, but she doesn’t tell Veronica this. She knows she will insist that she’s really happy with Reggie and she needed to stop worrying.

That’s why Betty is so surprised when Veronica starts her affair with Sweet Pea. It was almost an acknowledgement of what an asshole Reggie has been, of the way he’s been treating her.

It’s also dangerous. Not only will Reggie loose his mind if he finds out, but fooling around with a Southsider was a bad idea. Her parents would freak if they knew, never mind their friends.

“I’m just having fun, B,” Veronica assures her. “Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise.”

Her words do nothing to soothe her worries.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty becomes part of the secret. Veronica calls her, sometimes a little tipsy, asking her to come pick her up from the Sunnyside trailer park or the basin downtown. She does so reluctantly, with easy lies to her parents, and drops Veronica off outside of her home just before her curfew.

It’s irritating, being roped into Veronica’s illicit activities, but Betty wants to be a good friend.

What she hadn’t considered when she started giving Veronica rides, is that she could run into Jughead.

She is waiting outside of Veronica’s house one night, watching her climb out of the window and shimmy down the drain pipe. She is wearing tight capris and a knotted shirt and Betty hasn’t seen her wear anything this sexy in a while. She was pulling out all the stops for the new man in her life.

“I can’t pick you up so you’ll have to get a ride from Sweet Pea,” she tells her as they drive to the Southside of town.

Veronica was meeting Sweet Pea and his friends at a bar downtown. It was a biker bar and Betty had never stepped a foot inside. Didn’t plan to, either.

“That’s fine. And thank you, B.” She smiles and reaches over to squeeze her hand. “I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

When they pull up outside the Whyte Wyrm, Sweet Pea is waiting outside with his friends, all of them congregated around a collection of black motorbikes. She can see Jughead in the group, sat on one of the bikes with a cigarette behind his ear. She watches him look up and over at her.

Sweet Pea takes the comb from his waistband and smoothes back his hair as Veronica hops out of the car.

“Bye, B. Love you!”

Veronica hurries over to Sweet Pea, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly.

Jughead approaches her car, a smirk on his lips. He leans down, forearms resting on the open window.

“What are you doin’ on this side of town?”

“Being a good friend.”

“Oh, yeah?” He smiles. “Didn’t come here to see me?”

She raises one eyebrow. “And why would I do that?”

He shrugs. “Thought I made an impression the other night, at the drive-in.”

He definitely had but she wasn’t going to let him know that.

“Cocky doesn’t suit you.” She smiles sweetly and starts up her car as he begins to stand. “Bye, Jughead,” she sing-songs as she pulls away.

 

 

 

 

 

The next time she sees him is at the school Pep Rally. She and Veronica are heading out to the parking lot, still dressed in their cheerleading uniforms, when they spot the group surrounding their bikes.

“What are they doing here?” Betty asks, frowning. “They don’t even go to this school.”

“I asked Stephen to come pick me up,” Veronica replies, smiling.

“V!” Betty hisses. “Isn’t that a little dangerous? What if Reggie sees you?”

“He’s too busy throwing testosterone around with the other jocks to give me any kind of attention,” she says dismissively. “It’ll be fine,” she assures her. “Stop worrying so much.”

When they are only a few feet away, Veronica picks up her pace and jogs over to Sweet Pea, quickly closing the distance between them. They are on each other, immediately, Sweet Pea’s hands gripping her waist as their lips meet.

“Nice outfit.”

Betty turns at the sound of his voice and rolls her eyes when she sees who is behind her.

“Why is it that everywhere I go lately, you’re always there?”

He shrugs, smiles. “Fate.”

She scoffs and turns away from him, ponytail swinging behind her.

“V, do you still want a ride?”

Veronica doesn’t seem to have heard her, and presses herself closer to Sweet Pea as they continue to kiss.

“They’re not coming up for air for a while,” Jughead comments, coming up beside her.

“Then I guess I’m leaving without her,” she mutters, mostly to herself.

“Stick around,” Jughead suggests, nudging her shoulder. “We’ll be nice, I promise.”

She looks over at him, curiously. “Why are you always talking to me? You don’t know me, Jughead.”

“But I want to,” he replies. He leans closer, holding their eye contact. “Go out with me.”

“What?” she laughs.

“Go out with me,” he repeats, a little smile on his lips. “Like a date.”

Her eyebrows knit together. “Why would _you_ want to take _me_ out on a date?”

“Have you looked in the mirror lately?” he asks, eyes sparkling with amusement as he smiles wider.

She tries and fails not to blush.

“And what would we do on this date?” she presses.

He shrugs. “Go see a flick, grab a burger. Whatever you want.”

She considers it for a minute — watches his pretty, cocky face as he waits for her answer. She’d be lying if she said he didn’t intrigue her. He always went out of his way to talk to her but when he was with his friends he was quieter than the rest, more reserved. There was still an edge to him but he seemed softer somehow.

Still, nice girls like Betty didn’t go on dates with boys like Jughead. Her mother would lose her mind if she knew she was even thinking about it.

She sighs, smiles apologetically. “Thanks but... no thanks.”

He chuckles. “You want me to pine for you, Cooper?”

She shakes her head but can’t smother her smile. “Goodnight, Jughead.”

He winks. “Later.”

 

 

 

 

 

A week later she is at Pop’s with Archie, Moose, Reggie and Cheryl. She has her back to the door and doesn’t hear Jughead and his friends enter. It isn’t until Reggie’s lip curls and his eyes narrow that she notices anything is amiss.

She looks behind to see what he is glaring at and frowns.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“They should know better than to come to this side of town,” Reggie replies, still staring.

“They’re so grody,” Moose adds, earning a chuckle from Cheryl.

“Lighten up,” Betty says. “They’re not doing anything.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Reggie snaps. “They shouldn’t be here.”

“Okay,” Betty says quietly, not liking his tone. “I’m just saying.”

“What’s going on, Cooper?” Cheryl asks, eyes full of mischief. “Got a little crush?”

“What?” Betty frowns. “Of course not.”

Cheryl hums. “Alright. Just never heard you stick up for those greasers before.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Archie laughs. “Betty would never go for one of those guys. She knows better than that. Right, Betts?”

Irritation flares. She doesn’t know where guys like Archie get off telling her what to do. And despite appearances, Jughead and his friends have been nothing but nice to her. Unlike some boys she knew.

She smiles tightly. “Right.”

She leaves before the rest of the group, stepping out into Pop’s parking lot just as Jughead and his friends are getting ready to ride away.

“Hey, Cooper,” he yells over to her, grinning. “Thought any more about that date?”

She thinks back to Reggie’s comments in the diner and the way Archie had presumed to speak for her. She didn’t have to do what they told her to.

“Yeah.” She smiles, pleased by the surprise on his face. “Pick me up at seven on Saturday?”

He quickly masks his shock and a real smile — not cocky or barely there, but happy and genuine — appears on his face.

“Sure. See you Saturday.”

Betty may do a little skip before she opens up her car.

 

 

 

 

 

She isn’t sure what to wear for a first date with a member of a biker gang. She didn’t have any tight pants or a leather jacket; her wardrobe was filled with pretty skirts and pastels. But then she remembers that Jughead liked her in those skirts, had seen in her sweaters and plimsoles and had still asked her out.

She chooses a pale blue dress and a matching sweater.

She sits and waits by her window. She doesn’t want him to meet her parents — they would only ask questions, maybe even stop her from leaving — so as soon as she sees his bike coming down her street, she is running out of her room and down the stairs.

“Betty, where are you going?” her mother yells as she opens the door.

“Out with Veronica. I’ll be back before curfew,” she yells back. “Bye! Love you!”

Jughead is smiling at her when she hops down her last step, his helmet tucked under his arm. His eyes sweep over her, top to toe, and her cheeks heat up under his observations.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Betty Cooper.”

She smiles. “I hope you have another helmet.”

“‘Course.” He lifts a grey helmet from his handlebars and holds it up. “Can’t have you hurting that pretty brain of yours.”

She laughs softly. “Pretty brain?”

“Yeah,” he shrugs. “You’re real smart. And you’re pretty.”

“Oh.” She blinks, surprised by his easy compliments. “Well, thank you.”

He holds the helmet out to her and she slips it over her head. She’d set her hair for the night but she wasn’t sure there was any point now.

“Where are you taking me?” she asks as she climbs on behind him.

“To Pop’s,” he replies. “And then I’ve got a little surprise.”

He starts up the engine and she jumps, the hands on either side of his waist clutching tightly.

He chuckles. “You scared?”

“A little,” she admits.

“Don’t worry, doll,” he says. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

 

 

 

 

They slide into a booth at the back of the diner, more private that any of the others available. Betty has a brief moment of panic where she wonders if someone from school will see them but then she decides she doesn’t care. She wasn’t ashamed to be seen with Jughead; she wouldn’t have said yes to this date if she was.

They both order and Betty’s eyes widen as Jughead reels off his order - two cheeseburgers, a large vanilla shake and extra onion rings on the side.

“Are you really going to eat all of that?”

He grins. “Here’s one thing you’ll learn about me very quickly, Betty — I _love_ to eat.”

“No kidding.”

“So... why did you finally agree to go out with me?” he asks, leaning his forearms on the table. His jacket is off, draped across the bench, and through the sleeve of his white t-shirt she can see the outline of a tattoo.

“I guess I got sick of you asking me,” she teases and he smiles. “I don’t know,” she finally admits. “I suppose I’m curious. I don’t know much about you, you’re very mysterious.”

He laughs, low and soft. “Oh, really?”

“What about you? Why did you ask me out?” she responds. “I wouldn’t say I’m your type.”

He squints. “And what’s my type?”

“I don’t know,” she mumbles, feeling scrutinized. “You’re always hanging out with Toni Topaz. I guess a girl like her... like you.”

“Toni and I are just friends,” he replies and then his eyes light up that way they do whenever he’s about to say something to make her blush. “And I already told you — I prefer blondes.”

“That’s it? You know, there are other blondes around.”

“I know,” he says with a nod. “And I’ll admit that at first I just thought you were good-lookin’. But then I asked around about you, got some info from Veronica — top of your class, cheerleader, in so many extracurriculars. You’re an impressive chick, Betty — beautiful and smarter than everyone else in the room.” His smile is soft as he says, “None of those other blondes could compete with you, so why would I be interested in them?”

He’s learning pretty quick; he knows just what to say to make her cheeks burn.

“I thought you were quiet, a little shy, but I see now that it’s all a facade,” she tells him. “You’re a real charmer, Jughead Jones.”

“Nah,” he says dismissively. “Just honest.”

She feels like making another joke, or teasing him again to hide her embarrassment and pleasure at his compliments. But when her eyes flicker up and she meets his intense gaze, she stays quiet.

She liked hearing his words and she really liked the way he was looking at her.

 

 

 

 

 

“So what’s being in a gang like?” she asks before taking a bite of her last french fry.

“It’s cool,” he replies, shrugging. “Those guys are my best friends. I like hanging with them and I like my bike, so it’s pretty ideal.”

“Isn’t it scary? I’ve heard about the Serpents... about the trouble you get into.”

Jughead’s lip purse, the muscle in his jaw-twitching. “Let me guess — the jocks on the football team been tellin’ you some stories?”

“So it’s not true?” she says in response, challenging his irritation. “You’re not fighting?”

He leans closer, face suddenly serious.

“Look, if someone talks smack about us, starts lookin’ down on us, we’re gonna do something about it.” He leans back then. “The Bulldogs aren’t exactly innocent, Betty. Despite what they tell you, they start shit just as much as we do. Maybe more.”

“I know they’re not,” she says. “I’ve known some of those guys whole life — I know exactly what they’re really like.”

He nods, a little smile tilting up his lips.

“Like I said, Betty, you’re smarter than most.”

She takes a sip of her milkshake and then fires off her next question.

“What’s your real name?”

He half-smiles. “Jughead.”

She rolls her eyes. “No, really. You all have nicknames. What’s your real name, the one you were born with?”

“Forsythe,” he answers. “Forsythe Pendleton the third, in fact.”

Betty’s eyes widen slightly at the title and then her lips purse.

“You don’t look like a Forsythe,” she tells him. “I like Jughead better.”

He nods, smiling. “Me, too.”

A waitress comes over to collect their empty plates and Jughead pulls his wallet out to pay the check.

“It’s on me.” He smiles as he slaps some money on the table.

They slip out of the booth and Jughead’s hand rests on the small of her back as they walk out into the parking lot.

“So where to next?”

“Got a spot I want to show you. It’s a surprise,” he says, leading her to his bike. “You trust me?”

She smiles, nods. “I do.”

They ride out to the Southside of town, past the train tracks and Southside High and the biker bar she dropped Veronica off at that one time. She relaxes a little during the journey, the bike less scary now.

He takes them to the bottom of a hill and then up, right to the top where it is dark and surrounded by trees. There’s no one else around and Betty thinks she should be panicking but she meant what she said. She trusts him.

He parks up and opens up the little trunk at the back of his bike, pulling out a blanket.

“Come on,” he says, holding out his hand.

She slides her hand into his and follows his lead, through the small patch of trees and into a clearing.

“Oh,” she breathes, taken aback by the view.

They are at the edge of the hill, a far-stretching view of the town laid out before them. From here she can see the twinkling of lights on both the North and South sides and the river that runs alongside them. Riverdale has never looked this pretty but she’s never seen it from this vantage point.

“I didn’t know about this place,” she murmurs.

“I come here when I want to be alone,” he says as he lays the blanket out on the ground. “I like to read up here. It’s nice. Peaceful.”

“You like to read?” she asks, smoothing her skirt beneath her as she sits on the blanket.

“Yeah,” he laughs, raising his eyebrows. “Don’t you?”

“Well... yeah.” She feels stupid. “Sorry, I just thought... I don’t know what I thought,” she murmurs.

“It’s okay,” he assures her. “You’ve got an idea about me. But I’m here to prove you wrong.”

“Well bringing me to the Southside’s makeout point isn’t exactly helping,” she jokes.

He chuckles, holds up his hands. “I just wanted to show you the view. I know you’re a good girl and I’m trying to be a gentleman.”

She thinks about what he said — _I know you’re a good girl_. Something about that heats her blood, riles her up. She knew she had morals and standards but sometimes she was so sick of being the ‘good girl’.

“So you’re really not gonna try and kiss me?” she asks quietly, gaze sliding over to him.

His eyes meet hers and he studies her for a second, as if he’s trying to determine if she’s serious.

“That depends,” he replies. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

She smiles softly. “I think I do.”

He leans closer then, a little smile on his face, and tilts his head just slightly until his lips brush against hers. Betty’s lip part beneath his, a breath escaping her, and then she is kissing him back, trapping his bottom lip between her own.

It isn’t her first kiss — she had kissed Trev Brown after a sock hop last year — but she’s never had a kiss that felt like this.

She lifts her hand to cup Jughead’s cheek as he parts her lips with his tongue. The change has Betty’s heart racing, her blood pulsing. This was so new but she already loved it, craved these feelings he was creating inside of her.

She jumps slightly as his hand lands on her thigh over her dress and Jughead pulls back.

“You okay?” he asks, eyes flickering across her face in concern.

“I’m okay. Just surprised me,” she whispers, settling her hand over his to encourage him to keep it there. “Kiss me again?” she asks, slightly breathless.

She sees the tilt of his mouth as he smiles before he is kissing her again, harder this time. His free hand settles on her waist and he squeezes her there. Betty is so wrapped up in the kiss that she moves instinctively, rising up on her knees as her hands wrap around Jughead’s neck. She presses herself closer, her body flush against his, and then swings her leg over his until she is settled in his lap.

“Betty,” he groans softly against her lips, hand now grasping at her thigh.

He pulls back and she is about to protest at the loss when his lips travel down her chin to her jaw, then along her neck, his kisses skimming the neckline of her dress.

“God, baby. What are you doin’ to me?” he murmurs against her skin and Betty’s fingers curl into the hair at the back of his head. His voice is so low, desperate, and Betty’s never felt this... _needy_ before.

She begins to rock against him, hips moving without conscious thought, only chasing pleasure and what feels good.

“Betty, Betty, Betty,” he whispers against her skin, hips rising up to meet hers.

There is pleasure between her legs that she’s only experienced a few times before, when she tried to touch herself in the shower. This feels so much better — the roughness of Jughead’s jeans against her and the burning path his hands leave across her body.

His hand slips beneath the skirt of her dress, touching her bare thigh, and Betty gasps, rolls her hips.

“Shit, Betty,” he moans. “I’m gonna come.”

She’s not sure what that means but she doesn’t stop moving, still rolling against him and meeting his lips for every kiss he offers.

Suddenly, he stills beneath her and Jughead releases a long, low moan as he buries his face in her neck. His hands grip her waist, halting her movements, and Betty sits there quietly, cheek pressed to his temple.

“You’re killin’ me, baby,” he says softly but when he leans back and looks at her, he is smiling. “That was amazing,” he murmurs, running the backs of his fingers along her cheek. “Did you come?”

Betty bites her lip. “Um... I don’t know...”

“Let me show you,” he murmurs and then he is moving them, pushing her back against the picnic blanket as he settles between her legs.

His hand sweeps across the length of her and then up beneath her dress again, stopping just before he reaches her underwear.

“Can I touch you?” he asks quietly. “I’ll make you feel good, I promise. But we don’t have to—“

“I want you to,” she replies, interrupting him. She’s not quite sure _what_ she wants him to do but she believes him when he says he’ll make her feel good.

His fingers slide across her underwear, over the part of her body only she has touched, and then applies pressure. Betty gasps again, higher and sharper, as he touches a spot that makes her toes curl.

“Jug,” she moans, his name tearing from her throat unbidden.

He continues to rub her and kiss her neck, the two sensations sending Betty wild. Heat pools low in her belly and she feels something building, something wonderful. She’s right on the cusp, she can feel it, and then, as it finally crashes over her, Jughead is kissing her again, swallowing the sound that escapes her.

She is panting when he removes his hand, her chest heaving. She looks up at Jughead and finds him watching her, a soft expression on his face.

“You’re so beautiful,” he tells her, sweeping her hair back from her face.

She smiles, eyelashes fluttering, feeling a little embarrassed beneath his heavy gaze.

“Thank you.”

“Come on,” he murmurs, sitting back on his knees and pulling her up with him. “It’s late. I should probably get you home.”

 

 

 

 

 

The ride back to her house feels shorter than their journey to the hill and Betty realizes she isn’t ready for this night to end.

He parks outside of her house and climbs off, holding his hand out to assist her as she gets off his bike. He doesn’t let go of her hand, leaning back against his bike and tugging her closer.

“As far as first dates go, I’d say this was pretty great.”

She smiles. “I’d be inclined to agree.”

He leans in close then and she thinks he’s going to kiss her, when he murmurs, “Go out with me again.”

She agrees instantly. “Okay.”

He does kiss her then, so good and thorough that Betty’s toes curl up in her shoes and she chases after his lips when he pulls away. He smirks at that and reaches up to twist a piece of her hair around his finger.

“Night, Betty.”

“Goodnight, Jughead.”

 

 

 

 

 

Betty spends her weekdays being the good girl; going to school, getting good grades, cheering for the football team. But when school finishes on Friday, she is free to be whoever she wants and to be with Jughead.

She drives to the Southside most weekends, Veronica in tow. They go to the bar — the Whyte Wyrm — and hang out with Jughead’s friends, or go to the basin to watch the boys race on their bikes.

There are stolen moments, too, in Jughead’s trailer or in the backseat of her car, Jughead touching her in ways no one ever has and her learning how to touch him back and make him feel just as good. Those are Betty’s favorite moments, when they are all alone and they can just be together.

Her weekends on the Southside are simple but fun, filled with laughter. The Serpents are fun and they don’t take themselves seriously; they aren’t preoccupied with what people think of them and trying to keep up appearance, like her friends at school. It’s refreshing, a good change, and Betty feels lighter just being around them.

They welcome her, too. She had expected some opposition — she was a Northsider, after all, and she didn’t have edge like Veronica — but there is none.

“You’re Jughead’s girl,” Sweet Pea tells her. “That makes you one of us.”

Betty smiles, feeling warm all over, and leans into Jughead’s side when he pulls her close. He is smiling, too, proud.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty tries her first cigarette inside the Whyte Wyrm, Fangs instructing her as he sparks it for her.

“Gently,” he advises, smiling when she starts to cough. “Hey, don’t feel bad, Betts. Everyone coughs the first time.”

 _Betts_. That’s who she is here, with these people, in this part of town. She is a new version of herself — more confident, more relaxed — and hearing that name makes her feel like she really is one of them.

Jughead calls her that, too, but when they are alone — when his mouth is on her neck and his hands are beneath her sweater — he calls her Elizabeth. Whispers the name against her skin, low and raspy, the sound enough to make her tingle all over. No one calls her by her full name — not even her parents – and while she used to hate it, hearing it leaves his lips as he touches her makes it sound beautiful, intimate and lovely.

“Never thought I’d see sweet Betty Cooper smoking,” Veronica says, amused. “You’re always full of surpises.”

Betty takes another drag on the cigarette, trying not to grimace at the taste, but she’s not fooling anyone.

“You don’t have to smoke it,” Jughead says, amusement also coloring his tone.

“Oh, thank God.” She passes the cigarette off to Fangs and rises from the stool. She brushes her hands against her new jeans — a gift from Veronica that she has kept hidden from her mother — and then wraps her hand around Jughead’s arm. “Can we play another game?” she asks, nodding towards the pool table.

“Sure.”

They stroll over to the table where a group of older Serpents are already playing. The air around them is hazy with smoke and there are bottles of beer in their hands. One of the men smiles when he sees her and Jughead approach and nudges the man beside him.

“You seen this?” he asks him. “FP’s boy is on the hook. He’s real gone on blondie.”

Jughead looks embarrassed by their words but Betty doesn’t know what ‘on the hook’ means. She looks up at him, watches him rub the back of his neck and shake his head.

“Alright, quit makin’ fun.” He leans up against the table. “You almost done? We wanna play a game.”

“Won’t be long.”

“No sweat.”

Jughead takes a seat on a stool beside the table and pulls her closer until she’s standing between his parted knees.

“What did they mean by ‘on the hook’?” she asks, resting her hands against his chest.

He shrugs but he doesn’t meet her eye. “Doesn’t mean anything. They’re just messin’ around.”

Betty can sense he doesn’t want to talk about it so she doesn’t push him. But when she drives home that night, lips still tingling from the goodbye kiss Jughead gave her, she turns to Veronica.

“One of the men in there said Jughead was ‘on the hook’,” she tells her. “Do you know what that means?”

Veronica squeals, a grin on her face as she turns towards Betty. “Oh, B! That means he loves you. He’s _in love_ with you.”

Betty’s initial reaction is doubt and she wants to brush her off, but then she thinks about Jughead’s embarrassment and the fact he hadn’t dismissed them. Warmth blooms in her chest and a little smile pulls at her lips, unbidden.

She really hoped he was in love with her because she thinks she’s in love with him.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty feels hot but she doesn’t push Jughead away, only pulls him closer until her body is flush against his. Her backseat is small and cramped but she doesn’t mind one bit.

“ _Elizabeth_ ,” he sighs against her temple. “So goddamn pretty.” He strokes her hair. “Don’t know how I ever got a girl as pretty as you.”

She smiles against his chest, still feeling the effects of what they had just done. She didn’t understand how he always managed to make her feel so _good_.

“Juggie?” she asks quietly, her new name for him — a name only she has. “Have you ever had sex?”

“Uh, yeah,” he replies, just as quiet. “Only the one time.”

“Just once?” she says, surprised. “But the other gus are always talking about sex. I thought…”

“I don’t mess with girls like they do,” he says, now looking at her. He tucks her hair behind her ear. “And I only did it because they kept makin’ fun of me, kept sayin’ I was scared of girls.”

Betty sighs and nuzzles against him.

“I’m glad you’re not like the others,” she tells him sincerely. “You’re special.”

 

 

 

 

 

Betty bites at the end of her pen and looks over at Veronica who is stretched out across her bed, working on her homework.

“V, can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” she replies, not looking up.

“I wanna talk about sex.”

Veronica’s hand pauses mid-sentence and she looks up, eyebrows raised high.

“Are you serious?” Betty nods. Veronica sits up on her knees. “Oh my— Is Jughead pressuring you? Is he making you do something you don’t want to?”

“No, no,” she’s quick to respond. “Jughead’s amazing. He’d never do that to me.” She looks away, feeling shy and a little embarrassed. “I guess… I was thinking about it. I think I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?” she asks. “Because having sex is a big deal. You shouldn’t make this decision lightly.”

“I’m not,” Betty insists, irritated. “Why are you being like this? I know I’m not as experienced as you but I was really hoping you’d support me.”

“You’re right and I will.” She leans over and puts her hand over Betty’s knee. “I’m sorry, B. What do you need from me?”

“Well, I have some questions.”

She smiles. “Fire away.”

 

 

 

 

 

She can hear the whispers behind her but that doesn’t stop the smile from spreading across Betty’s face when she sees Jughead waiting for her outside of school. He is leaning back against his bike, arms crossed over his chest, a toothpick hanging from his mouth.

“Juggie,” she smiles as she gets closer. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugs and pulls the toothpick from his mouth. “Wanted to see you.” He smiles then. “Do I get a kiss?”

She knows that people will talk — there are rumors that she is dating a Southsider but no proof — but she doesn’t hesitate. She wraps the hand that isn’t holding her books around his neck and presses her lips to his. His hands clutch at her waist, pulling her closer, and she smiles against his mouth.

“Betty? What the hell is this?”

She turns to find Archie, Reggie and Moose stood behind her. Archie’s eyebrows are pulled together in a deep frown, his eyes flickering between her and Jughead. Before she can respond, Reggie steps forward.

“So the rumors are true. You really are slumming it, Cooper.”

“Reggie!” she yells, disgusted.

Jughead steps forward then, gently pushing Betty aside, that muscle twitching in his jaw. He is angry — _really_ angry.

“The fuck did you just say?” His voice is low, almost a growl. She’s never heard him like this before.

“You heard me, Jones.”

Jughead’s eyes narrow. “You lookin’ to get your ass beat again, Mantle? The first time wasn’t enough for you?”

Betty had always wondered what really happened last year, when Reggie turned up to school with a black eye and couldn’t play football for weeks until his arm healed up.

“Whatever,” Reggie mutters, face still pinched with anger. “Betty, when you get sick of this loser you know where we are.”

Jughead jerks forward, ready to lunge at Reggie, but Betty holds him back.

“Juggie,” she says firmly, hand cupping his face. She forces him to look at her. “Calm down. He’s not worth it.” She strokes her thumb across his cheek. “Okay?”

He sighs, body deflating as the tension dissipates. He presses his forehead to hers.

“Okay.”

She kisses him. “Let’s go to your place,” she suggests, and he nods before pulling her in for a hug.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty thinks she has calmed him down but when they get to his trailer, he is still riled up, fists clenched as he pushes the door open forcefully and steps inside.

“Are you still mad about Reggie?” she asks, dropping her books onto the counter.

“ _Yeah_ , I’m still mad,” he snaps, tossing his jacket onto the couch.  “Who the hell does Mantle think he is? I can’t believe Veronica dated that asshole.”

“She kind of still is,” Betty points out and Jughead shakes his head in response.

“Sweet Pea’s a fucking idiot,” he mutters, then turns to her. “He’s half in love with her and she’s still messin’ around with that piece of shit.” He leans back against the counter. “God forbid she dates a Southsider. Bad for her rep.”

Betty’s eyebrows knit together. She had a feeling they weren’t talking about Veronica and Sweet Pea anymore. Reggie’s words must have really hit a nerve.

“Juggie,” she says softly and reaches out to grasp his waist. She presses herself close and touches her nose to his. “Forget about Reggie. He’s not important. Me and you— “ she kisses his cheek, “—we’re what matters.”

Jughead sighs and then nudges his nose against hers until their lips meet. He deepens the kiss immediately, hand cupping her neck as his tongue parts her lips. She moans as he turns them and presses her against the counter. He slides his hands over her ass and beneath her thighs, lifts her until she is on the counter and he is stood between her legs.

“Want you so much,” he mumbles against her throat. “God, baby. _So much_.”

“Make love to me, Juggie,” she says breathlessly, fingers tugging at the bottom of his shirt.

He pulls back to meet her eye. “Betts… Are you sure?”

She nods. “I’m sure. I want you, Jug. All of you.”

There is a new intensity to his kisses then, one that steals her breath. She pulls his t-shirt from his jeans and then lifts it over his head. Her hands are on him immediately, touching the smooth planes of his chest. Jughead’s fingers make quick work of the buttons on her sweater and he swallows thickly when he sees her breasts still covered by her simple, white bra.

“You’re perfect,” he declares, thumbs skimming across her ribcage, just beneath the place she really wants him to touch her. “Betty, I…”

He trails off and Betty cups his face, encourages him to continue. “What is it?”

The corners of his mouth tick up. “I just… I can’t believe this is really happening.”

“Well believe it,” she mumurs and then kisses him again.

Jughead moans against her mouth and then lifts her again. She giggles against his lips as the sudden movement, clings to him as he carries her into his bedroom.

 

 

 

 

 

Weeks later, Betty is flipping through her diary, jotting down her after-school commitments for the next month. She turns back to the current week and frowns when she doesn’t see the little stars she likes to put besides the date to signify when she expects her period.

She turns back another week, looking for the stars, and then another, and when she finally finds them three weeks before her throat suddenly feels tight and her palms grow sweaty.

She takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself. There was no need to panic — she was just misremembering, had forgotten her last period. Still, just to be sure, she runs into her bathroom and opens up the cabinet beneath her sink.

There, she finds a box of tampons, new and unopened. She leans back against her bathtub, stomach sinking. She was in trouble now.

 


	2. two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part deux and the end of this little story. exploring this era has been so fun and this is probably the closest to canon-riverdale in this series
> 
> apologies to any reggie fans out there - he's a bad dude in this but he just fit the part in this particular story. oh, and this story follows my personal head-canon that sweet pea's real name is stephen :)
> 
> elvis song at the end is "blue moon", because of course :)

At first, Betty panics, mind racing with half-finished thoughts. What did this mean for her? Could she graduate early, before the baby arrived? Or would she have to drop-out? And her _parents_ — they were going to be so disappointed. She would bring shame on their family, the knocked-up Cooper girl.

She doesn’t know how they’ll react. They may kick her out; send her out alone with no money and a baby she didn’t know how to care for her. Or worse, take the baby away. She briefly wonders if they will make her marry Jughead – like Ginger Lopez, who was forced to marry her boyfriend when she was in the family way – but she quickly dismisses the thought. Jughead was a Southsider, a gang member. There was no way her parents would want her to marry him, even if he was responsible.

And God, that thought makes her heart hurt. She doesn’t think she can do this, have a baby, but it would be especially hard if he wasn’t there with her.

Eventually, she calms a little, rationalizes. She didn’t even know if there _was_ a baby to worry about. She would have to go to the doctor, get an appointment out of town. Going to her usual doctor was too risky; he’d definitely tell her parents. Veronica could come with her, wouldn’t make her face this alone. She’ll support her, she knows she will.

She washes her face with cold water and takes a few deep breaths before walking back into her bedroom. Her diary lies open on her bed, the stars now so obvious and ominous on the page. She throws herself face-first onto her bed but quickly rolls over, panicked, worried about putting pressure on her stomach.

She presses a hand against her abdomen and stares up at the ceiling, teeth biting at her bottom lip. She would tell Veronica tomorrow, she decides. She needs to tell _someone_.

Betty swallows thickly, tears immediately collecting in her eyes. Yes, she would tell her tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty withdraws, grows quiet, reclusive. She hardly speaks to anyone – not even Veronica – and just goes through the motions, day after day. Go to school, come home, dinner, homework, _repeat_.

Her head is constantly consumed with thoughts of her possible child. If there was a baby she didn’t want to give it up, didn’t want to send it away to another family and never see them again. But she didn’t want to do this without Jughead either. She didn’t want to be married off to a willing man her parents found, like spoiled goods. Still, she didn’t see how she and Jughead could ever be together without her losing her family in the process.

Veronica soon grows tired of her silence and begins to push for information.

“Did something happen with Jughead?” she asks her as they leave cheerleading practice. “Because he keeps asking about you, B — he’s really worried. He says he doesn’t know what he’s done.”

“Just leave it, V,” she says tightly. She throws her books into the back of her car and sighs. “I’ve just got a lot going on at school right now. I haven’t got time to worry about much else.”

Veronica’s lips purse, clearly not buying her excuse, but she doesn’t call her out on it.

“You’ll tell me, won’t you? If something is bothering you.”

“Yes,” she nods. “I promise.”

Betty’s stomach twists with guilt as she climbs into her car but it’s quickly overshadowed by the worry she feels, the worry she has carried with her every day this past week. Her whole life could be about to change and she really didn’t want to talk about it.

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday, a week and a half after she determined she was late, she is leaving Pop’s and heading back to her car. She had spent hours studying in the diner; she needed to get out of her house and away from her parents. The shame and guilt was becoming too much for her and she was finding it really hard to be around them.

She has almost reached her car when she hears someone yell her name, “Betts!”

Her eyes fall shut and she takes a deep breath but keeps walking, pretending she hasn’t heard him.

“Betty!” he yells again and then he is in front of her, blocking her path. He looks both relieved and concerned, brow furrowed but a little smile on his face. “Couldn’t you hear me? I was callin’ you.”

“Sorry,” she mutters, looking away from him. “I was daydreaming.”

She tries to push past him but his hand closes around hers, halting her.

“Betty, come on,” he says quietly. “Can you look at me?”

Slowly, she lifts her gaze, a lump forming in her throat as she sees the sadness swimming in his blue eyes.

“What’s goin’ on, Betts? Why are you ignorin’ me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replies, voice weak, and he scoffs.

“So that’s how we’re gonna play this? You haven’t spoken to me for over a week!” he says, not quite yelling but close. “I’ve been _this close_ to knockin’ on your door. Screw your parents.”

“Please don’t do that,” she begs. That was the last thing she needed right now.

“Then talk to me,” he pleads, voice softer. “Tell me what’s goin’ on with you.”

She takes a shaky breath, eyes falling to the floor. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

His hand falls from hers and his voice is hard when he asks, “Why not?”

“I just have so much going on right now, with school and getting into college and-“

“Bullshit,” he snaps. “If you’re gonna stomp on my heart you should at least be honest about why.”

She shakes her head. “Jug, please, I’m not lying.“

“Is this about what Reggie said?” he asks, voice low. “Have you finally come to your sense and decided you shouldn’t be with a guy like me?”

Her eyes fly up to his, a sharp breath escaping her. “Jug, _no_. I don’t think—“

“Sick of _slumming it_ , right?” He shakes his head, laughs humorlessly. “All the guys said it was a mistake goin’ after you, said a girl like you could never _really_ be with someone like me. But I didn’t listen because I was so gone on you, Betts. Couldn’t believe a chick like you actually wanted to be with me.” He sighs, the sound shaky. “Guess they were right all along.”

“Jughead,” she cries, grabbing his hand. She feels the panic rising within her but she can’t tell him the truth. Not yet. “That’s not true, okay? It’s really just school, I can’t… I can’t be with you _right now_ … I just…”

“Save it,” he hisses, pulling his hand from her grasp. “If you’re ashamed to be with me, stop bein’ such a coward and admit it.”

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as a tear escapes, slides down her cheek. The silence is deafening but she doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know how to make him see that she wasn’t leaving him because she was ashamed of him. She was just a mess right now. She was better off alone.

“I thought you were different but it turns out you’re just as stuck-up as the assholes you go to school with.”

Betty’s eyes narrow then but Jughead doesn’t flinch beneath her gaze. His jaw is set defiantly, mouth a harsh line.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” she snaps and checks his shoulder as she pushes past him and into her car.

She is half-way to her home when she pulls over, presses her head to the steering wheel and begins to sob.

 

 

 

 

 

She presses her face into pillow, staining it with her tears as Veronica rubs her back.

“Just tell me what happened, B. I want to help.”

“I’m late,” she mumbles, wrapping her arms tight around the pillow.

Veronica’s eyes widen. “You mean, _late_ late?”

She nods.

Veronica blows out a harsh breath. “Is it Jughead’s?”

“Of course it’s Jughead’s,” she snaps, mildly offended. “Who else’s would it be?”

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry.” She continues stroking her back. “Didn’t you take an aspirin like I told you?”

Betty shrugs her shoulders. “I guess it didn’t work.”

Veronica sighs heavily. “God, what a mess. I’m so sorry. Have you told Jughead yet?”

“No,” Betty sighs. “I’m not sure I’m going to.”

Veronica frowns. “Well, you have to tell him, B. Is this why you guys aren’t talking?”

She nods. “We had a fight because I was avoiding him. It got really ugly.”

Veronica reaches up to smooth her hand across Betty’s ponytail and smiles sadly.

“Well I’m sure he’ll get over it soon. That boy loves you. Anyone can see that.”

Betty didn’t know if that was true but she did know that even if Jughead didn’t get over it, there wasn’t much chance of them being together again. Besides, she wasn’t sure she _wanted_ to be with him right now. He’d said some hurtful things.

“Hey, why don’t we go to the drive-in?” Veronica suggests. “Might cheer you up. Take your mind off things. And then we can figure this out tomorrow.”

Betty doubted that it would distract her but she knew Veronica wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

 

 

 

 

 

As Betty is leaving the bathroom and heading back to her car, someone tugs at her hand and pulls her behind a Chevy. She stumbles, startled, and presses her hands against the person’s chest for support, palms meeting cool leather.

“Jughead,” she gasps, eyes widening as she looks up at him.

He smiles but his eyes are sad. “You gotta talk to me sometime, Betts. Can’t avoid me forever.”

She straightens up and steps away from him. “I’m not avoiding you,” she mutters.

“Yeah, you are. But that’s okay, because I know what’s really going on with you,” he murmurs, reaching out to press a hand against her belly.

She slaps it away before he can touch her and crosses her arms over her chest, ignoring the hurt on his face. She never should have told Veronica; with Sweet Pea in the picture, it was always going to get back to him.

“I’m here for you, Betty. We can figure this out,” he says softly, stepping closer. He taps his finger beneath her chin until she looks up and meets his eye. “I take care of what’s mine.”

Her eyes narrow and her chin tips up defiantly.

“Well you don’t need to worry about me because I’m not yours.”

She marches away before he can stop her and immediately climbs inside her car, slamming the door shut.

“I’m so sorry, B. I told Stephen not to tell,” Veronica says through her open window, eyes wide and pleading.

Betty ignores her and pulls away, blinking back tears as she drives out of the lot.

 

 

 

 

 

A few days later, she is stretched out across her bed, working on her math homework, when her mother enters her bedroom.

“We need to talk,” she tells her firmly and Betty sits up, surprised by her tone. She takes a seat beside her on the bed, expression tight. “I know what you’ve been doing, Betty. I know you’ve being going to the Southside.”

Betty mouth drops open, and she quickly attempts to defend herself. “Mom, I—“

“Enough.” She raises her hand. “I don’t need to hear anymore lies or excuses. And I’m not going to forbid you from going there because clearly you’re going to do whatever you want.” The disapproval in her tone makes Betty feel sick; she didn’t always to be the good girl but she didn’t want to hurt her parents either. “All I’m asking is that you’re careful.”

Betty frowns. “Mom, I know what you’ve heard about that side of town but it’s really not like that. The people there are nice to me; they’d never hurt me.”

“I know exactly what the Southside is like, Betty,” she replies, tone firm. “I grew up there.”

Betty’s eyes widen at the information. “Really? But you never said…”

“I know they may seem nice and most of them are good people,” her mother agrees. “But bad things do happen there. And I don’t want you getting caught up in that kind of trouble.”

It might be too late for that.

“Well you don’t need to worry,” Betty responds quietly, eyes dropping to her lap. “I’m not going there anymore. Or ever again.”

Her mother is quiet, watching her, until she sighs. She reaches out to place a hand on her knee.

“Is there a boy?” she asks softly. Betty nods, bites at her lip to stop herself from crying. “Do you love him?”

“I did,” Betty answers, voice weak with emotion. “But he hurt me. And I don’t think we’re going to see each other again.”

Alice sighs and reaches out to stroke her hand across Betty’s ponytail in a comforting gesture.

“Just remember what I said. Be careful,” she warns. “And try not to do anything you can’t take back.”

Betty nods, swallows down the lump in her throat. Part of her wants to confess, wants to cry in her mother’s arms and tell her about her worries, but something inside her stops her. She hasn’t said it out loud yet, hasn’t acknowledged that there may be a baby in her belly. If she does, it will be real.

 

 

 

 

 

Betty has never been so relieved to see blood in her underwear. Tears of relief slip down her cheeks and a huge smile spreads across her face. She had to cheer at a game that night against Greendale, and while usually the thought of cheering while on her period was awful, she’s never been so happy.

When she enters the locker room all of the other cheerleaders are stretching, already dressed in their uniforms. Betty looks around, hoping to catch sight of Veronica and share her news, but she’s nowhere to be found.

“Hey, Midge,” she says, catching her by the arm as she passes. “Have you seen Veronica?”

“No,” she replies. “Cheryl says she called and told her she wasn’t coming, said she’s sick.”

Betty frowns. Veronica never missed a game, was loyal to the squad. Even if she _was_ sick, she’d find a way to push through it. Betty had seen her cheer with a migraine.

Something pulls at Betty’s gut, an instinct, telling her that something wasn’t right. As soon as the game was over, she would drive to the Lodge home and check up on her. She wanted to know what was going on.

Betty puts those thought aside and begins to stretch, readying herself for the night ahead.

As the squad filters out onto the field, she passes Reggie and Archie in their football jerseys. She doesn’t acknowledge them — hasn’t ever since that day outside of school with Jughead — but she does catch the expression on Reggie’s face as she walks by. Fury, undoubtedly, features furrowed by anger.

That feeling tugs at her stomach again, making her sick with worry. Something was really wrong. She just didn’t know what.

 

 

 

 

 

They lose against Greendale, their first loss of the season, and the mood around the field is sombre. Betty leaves quickly, throwing her stuff into her bag and not bothering to change out her uniform before making her way to the parking lot.

She hears the rumble of the bikes before she sees them and her stomach drops. They are congregated near her car, headlights on, talking loudly among themselves. She decides to walk past quickly and pray that none of them notice her.

She picks up her pace and keeps her eyes focused straight ahead, but she can still hear their conversation as she passes.

“That asshole has been cruisin’ for a bruisin’, and this is the final straw.”

It’s Sweet Pea’s voice, unmistakeably, and he sounds _furious_.

She thinks back to the look on Reggie’s face, thinks about the dread she feels, and she just knows that it’s all connected to Veronica.

Squaring her shoulders, she walks over to the group and makes a beeline for Fangs. He was always nice to her, probably her favorite of Jughead’s friends. She has no idea if Jughead is here — doesn’t look around to find out.

“Fangs,” she calls and he turns around, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Betts,” he smiles. “Long time, no see.”

“What are you doing here?” she asks. “Do you know where Veronica is?”

Fangs rubs the back of his neck, nervous. “Look, Betts, I don’t think I should be telling you. Jug will kick my ass if he finds out I brought you into this.”

“What?” She frowns. “If this involves Veronica then I should know. She’s my best fri—“

“He hit her, Betty.” She turns at the new voice and finds Sweet Pea behind her. “Mantle found out about us and he hit her.”

Betty gasps. “Oh, _no_. Where’s Veronica? Is she okay?”

“She’s at home,” he replies. “I told her to stay away while I took care of him.”

Betty doesn’t like the sound of that at all.

Another bike arrives then and Jughead climbs off, immediately walking in her direction.

“Betts, why are you here?” he asks, stepping closer and reaching for her arm. He tries to steer her away, towards her car. “You shouldn’t be here.”

There is shouting then as Reggie arrives, flanked by Archie and Moose and other members of the team. Tension settles over the group and the Serpents move around, brace themselves as they approach. Jughead steps in front of Betty and pushes her behind him.

“Stay back,” he instructs quietly.

Betty watches with bated breath as Reggie steps up to Sweet Pea, a cocky smile on his face.

“You come here to fight for that whore?” he sneers. “Because she’s not worth it, man.”

“You better watch your mouth, Mantle,” Sweet Pea spits, stepping forward until they are nose to nose.

“I’m not fucking scared of you.”

Betty slips past Jughead before he can catch her and runs up to them, placing her hands on Reggie’s chest. What she really wants to do is punch him but she knows she needs to diffuse the situation. She pushes him back, looks up at him.

“Don’t do this, Reggie. You don’t want to get hurt.”

When he looks down at her his eyes are like steel, cold and unfeeling.

“The traitor speaks,” he snaps. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

He places his hands on her shoulders and forcefully shoves her away. She stumbles back, losing her footing, but Fangs is there to catch her.

And then, as she is trying to right herself, all hell breaks loose.

“Don’t you fuckin’ touch her!” Jughead yells and then he is charging forward, his fist connecting with Reggie’s nose with a sickening crunch.

Fangs spins her around and pushes her away from the group.

“Get out of here!” he shouts.

Betty doesn’t move, frozen on the spot. She can only stare, wide-eyed, at the chaos unfolding before her.

It is a sea of blue letterman jackets and black leather, fists flying and blood spraying, and people being knocked to the ground. She can barely make out Jughead who has one of the football players pinned to the ground, punching him repeatedly as his body grows limp and boneless. She wants to run to him, beg him to walk away, but she knows it’s too dangerous.

Reggie falls to the floor, Sweet Pea on top of him, raining punch after punch on his face until it is an unrecognizable, bloody mess. He is out of control, driven mad by his anger and he needs to stop before he kills him.

Suddenly headlights beam across the group and Betty squints against the light. The car comes to a stop and Veronica comes running out, screaming.

“Stop! Stephen, _stop!_ ”

She is crying and even from this distance, Betty can see the bruise across her swollen cheek. Anger spikes through her and a part of her really hopes that Sweet Pea _doesn’t_ stop.

Three older men pile out of the car then, all in leather jackets. Betty recognizes them from the Whyte Wyrm — elder Serpents, who had real authority and respect.

They break up the fight within minutes, separating the two groups, one of the men holding Sweet Pea back as he lunges for Reggie again. Reggie is still on the floor, unmoving, but she can see his chest rising and falling with his breaths. Veronica runs at Sweet Pea, throwing her arms around his neck, and he visibly relaxes, all the previous tension and anger seeping out of him.

Jughead stumbles away from the crowd, spitting blood out onto the floor. Without a second thought, Betty rushes towards him.

“Juggie,” she cries, eyes flickering over his face. There is blood pouring from a cut on his forehead and his jaw is already bruising. She cups the unmarred side of his face. “Why did you do that? You could have gotten really hurt.”

“He pushed you,” he mumbles, blood staining his teeth. His hands reach out to grasp her waist. “Shouldn’t have done that.”

One of the men approaches them and claps a hand on Jughead’s shoulder. Betty looks over at him and already knows who he is despite having never met him before. His face is the older, wearier version of Jughead’s, covered in stubble with dark shadows beneath his eyes. Jughead’s father, no doubt about it.

“Go home and get cleaned up, kid,” he orders him. “Leave your bike here. We’ll pick it up tomorrow.” His eyes slide over to Betty then. “You got a ride?”

She nods. “I can take him home.”

He nods back and there’s a little smile on one side of his mouth; the same smile she receives from Jughead.

“You must be Betty. Nice to finally meet you. Shame it isn’t under better circumstances.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jughead hisses through his teeth as she dabs at his wound, cleaning up the blood. She can feel his eyes on her, watching her, but he doesn’t speak. She doesn’t talk either, focused on the task at hand, but the silence between them isn’t comfortable. There was so much she wanted to say.

“How are you?” he finally asks, voice quiet.

“I’m okay,” she replies and offers him a small smile. “But I was a lot better before I saw you fighting.”

He sighs. “I didn’t want you to see that, Betty. I told Fangs to get you out of there if he saw you.”

“He tried,” she admits. “But I didn’t listen.”

He smirks, laughs through his nose. “I should have figured. You’re too stubborn to do what he says.”

She smiles. “You know me better than that.”

She finishes him up and cleans away the medical supplies. He is still watching her but she doesn’t look at him.

“Betty,” he says, voice gruff. “How are you really? Because me… I’m fuckin’ miserable without you.”

She releases a long sigh and leans against the kitchen table. He grasps her hand to tug her closer; she follows willingly, drops down into his lap when she is close enough.

“I wanna be there for you,” he says quietly. He places his hand against her stomach. “ _Both_ of you.”

His words make her heart clench. She knows she shouldn’t like hearing him say those kinds of things — they definitely weren’t ready to have a baby — but it still makes her stomach flip to hear him being so caring.

“I’m not pregnant, Juggie.”

His eyes shoot up to hers, lips parted in shock.

“You’re not?”

“No.” She shakes her head, lips quirking up. “I thought I was but… It was a false alarm.”

Jughead releases a heavy breath.

“Are you okay?” is his immediate response. “This is what you wanted, right? This is the best outcome we could have asked for.”

“Yeah, definitely,” she responds. “We aren’t ready to be parents, Jug.”

He nods but she can see the slightest hint of disappointment. She feels it too. While the thought of having a baby was mostly terrifying, there is a little part of her — romantic and naïve — that liked the thought of little human that was half her and half Jughead.

“I’m so sorry, Betts,” he murmurs, soft eyes meeting hers. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I know you wouldn’t look down on me. Not ever. You’re too good.”

She cups his face, smoothes her thumb across his cheekbone.

“You really hurt me, Jug,” she admits. “I just couldn’t believe you’d think that about me.”

He drops his head, ashamed. “I didn’t,” he responds. “Not really. I was just angry — at Reggie, at Sweet Pea for being so moony-eyed over Veronica…” He reaches for her again, grasps her hips and looks up at her with sad, pleading eyes. “Please tell me I’ve still got a shot with you.”

She smiles softly, takes his face between her palms.

“It was just a fight,” she says. “If I hadn’t been scared out of my mind, I would have forgiven you a long time ago.” She leans down then to brush her lips against his. “I love you, Jughead,” she murmurs against his mouth.

His lips quirk up, eyes bright and beautiful. “Yeah?” She nods. “I love you, too, Betty,” he confesses. “God, I’m so in love with you.”

He pulls her into his lap then and she giggles against his lips as she falls, giddy and happier than she’s been in weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

As the end of the school year draws closer, Betty finds herself preoccupied with either schoolwork or Jughead.

Things are so good between them, better than they’ve ever been. There is no doubt and insecurity anymore — Jughead knows she loves him, that she truly wants to be with him. And they are careful, too, not wanting a repeat of those horrible few weeks when Betty was late. Jughead buys some condoms and they put them to good use.

There is no hiding either, not that they had been consciously doing that before. Her parents know about them — and begrudgingly accept their relationship despite their disapproval — as do her classmates. She still hears whispers in the hallways, sees the looks people throw her way, but she doesn’t care. She can deal with rumors if it means she gets to be with him and it’s not like she would be at school for much longer.

Veronica doesn’t have it quite so easy. Her parents are furious and if she didn’t have her father wrapped around her little finger, they would have kicked her out. The gossip about her is worse, too. Every week there is something new — she’s pregnant, Sweet Pea nailed her and left her for another girl, she’s moving into a trailer on the Southside after graduation because her parents have disowned her.

She takes it all in stride, always so strong.

“I could care less,” she tells Betty as she leans up against her locker. She has large, black sunglasses on — initially to cover up the bruising on her face but now a statement accessory. She smiles, suddenly smug. “And if dating Stephen gets my parent this riled up, then that’s just a bonus.”

Betty laughs and slams her locker shut. Behind them, a group of sophomores pass by, looking Veronica up and down.

“Serpent slut,” one of them spits, his friends slapping his shoulders as they laugh.

Veronica tips her glasses down her nose and peers over the frame. “Get bent, virgin. Or do you want my boyfriend to hear about this?”

The sophomore pales and quickly walks away. After the damage he inflicted to Reggie Mantle’s face, the spectre of Sweet Pea was enough to scare people away. Betty shakes her head, watching them go.

“So are you coming to the Wyrm tonight?” Veronica asks as they head towards their last class of the day.

“I said I’d meet Jughead there,” she replies. “We have some stuff to talk about.”

Veronica raises her eyebrows. “Like…” she presses, nudging Betty with her shoulder.

Betty can’t contain her smile. “He’s moving to New York with me in the fall.”

Veronica squeals and wraps her hand around Betty’s arm.

“Oh, _B_. That’s so romantic,” she gushes. “Are you excited?”

She grins, unable to contain her happiness. “I can’t wait.”

 

 

 

 

 

Jughead is playing pool when she arrives, surrounded by some of the other Serpents. They greet her as she passes; she was a familiar face now.

“Hey,” he smiles and immediately abandons his shot to kiss her. “You okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“Hey, Fangs!” he yells and holds out the pool cue in his hand. “Take over for me.” He slings his arm over Betty’s shoulders. “Let’s go get a drink.”

There are older Serpents sat at the bar including Jughead’s father — FP, as he insisted she called him. She smiles in his direction as Jughead orders their drinks and he nods back, the Jones half-smile in place.

“Heard you’re movin’ to New York,” one of them says — Viper, with his long, grey beard. “We’ll miss you around here, kid.”

“Followin’ my girl,” Jughead says, pulling her closer. “She’s got big plans. Goin’ to college.”

FP laughs. “Sure she’s not too smart for you, boy?” he teases.

“You two committed?” Viper asks, eyes darting between the two of them.

“Not quite there yet,” Jughead replies. He looks down at her then, a fond smile on his face that makes Betty feel warm all over. She smiles back. “But we will be.”

 

 

 

 

 

Betty bites at her bottom lip, smoothes her hands across the skirt of her pale yellow dress repeatedly. Her eyes dart to the clock again, checking the time — he would be here any minute.

The doorbell rings and Betty jumps up from her seat, rushing over to the door. A smile spreads across her face as soon as she sees him, dressed up in a grey suit, hair slicked back like always.

His eyes sweep over her. “Goddamn. Baby, you look...”

She giggles and grabs his hand, tugging him inside. “Come on. Come meet my parents.”

He swallows, nervous, and squeezes her fingers as she brings him into the living room. Her parents are waiting inside, standly stiffly in the center of the room, watching them warily.

“Mom, Dad… This is Jughead,” she introduces them.

“Nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs Cooper,” Jughead says, holding out his hand for her father to shake.

“ _Jughead_ ,” her father says, frowning. “Unusual name.”

“It’s a nickname, sir,” he replies. “My real name is Forsythe but I haven’t gone by that in years.”

Hal nods. “Very well, _Jughead_.”

Betty suppresses the urge to roll her eyes.

“Uh, Betts,” Jughead says quietly. “We should split if we’re gonna get there on time.”

“Oh!” She smiles politely at her parents. “We should probably go. Veronica will be waiting for us.”

“Have fun, dear,” her mother says, a small smile on her face. “And I expect her back by curfew, Jughead,” she warns him.

“I’ll have her here, Mrs Cooper,” he promises.

When they step outside Betty is surprised to see a truck parked outside of her house.

“Where’s your bike?”

“I borrowed my dad’s truck for the night,” he explains. “Didn’t think you’d want to wear a helmet and mess up your hair.”

She smiles. “Good thinking.”

He helps her climb up into the truck in her heels and then runs around to the passenger side. As soon as he is inside, he reaches beneath the seat and pulls out a plastic box.

“I got this for you,” he says, holding it out to her. “Thought it was the right thing to do.”

“Oh, Juggie.” She presses her hand over her heart as she looks down at the corsage — yellow, just like her dress. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

He removes the corsage and slips it over her wrist. Betty smiles down at it, admiring the flowers, and then leans across the bench seat to kiss him.

“Really, thank you,” she murmurs against his lips.

He smiles. “Anything for you, Betts.”

 

 

 

 

 

When they arrive at Riverdale High, Sweet Pea and Veronica are already outside. Veronica has poured herself into a tight purple dress, her hair set in curls and a matching purple flower pinned behind her ear. Sweet Pea has her pressed against her car, his face buried in her neck as his hand trails over her ass.

“Hey, V,” Betty says loudly, alerting them to their presence.

Veronica giggles and pushes Sweet Pea away, face flushed as she turns to smile at them.

“B! You look beautiful.” She embraces Betty tightly. “Can you believe it?” she asks as she pulls back. “Prom night! High school is almost over.”

“Thank God,” Sweet Pea mutters behind them and Jughead snorts.

They enter the school and walk down the hallway towards the gym. There is music filtering out of the open doors and Betty can see a few people hanging around outside, chatting or necking in a corner.

“Little treat for the night,” Sweet Pea says as he pulls a flask from his pocket. He takes a sip and then offers it out. “Anyone else?”

Veronica takes a sip, scrunching her nose up at the taste. Betty shakes her head and to her surprise, Jughead declines.

“I’m okay, man.”

Betty tucks her arm into his as they follow behind Veronica and Sweet Pea.

“You could have had some. I don’t mind,” she assures him.

He shrugs. “It’s okay. I don’t want any.” He looks down at her, a soft smile on his lips. “I just wanna be with you.”

Betty smiles and leans her head against his shoulder.

When they enter the gym, eyes are immediately on them. Couples stare as they walk by, no doubt shocked at the audacity of two Southsiders coming to the Northside prom. Betty barely notices them, so wrapped up in the romance of the night — she still can’t quite believe _Jughead_ is her date to the prom. She never thought he’d take her.

They spot Reggie over at the snack table, flanked as always by Archie and Moose. Jughead tenses up and she rubs at his bicep soothingly, trying to ease him. She watches Sweet Pea make eye contact with Reggie and after a long pause, Reggie nods his head. It isn’t a greeting — just an acknowledgement. There was no love lost between them but Reggie wasn’t stupid enough to start another fight.

“Come on, doll. Let’s dance,” Jughead suggests, steering them towards the dancefloor.

The band up front begins to play a cover of an Elvis Presley song and Betty presses her cheek against Jughead’s chest. He sways them gently to the music and she sighs, utterly content.

“I love you,” she declares softly, eyes falling shut.

He kisses her hair. “Elizabeth,” he whispers. “I love you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got real cheesy at the end there but i couldn't resist :) hope you enjoyed this little journey. comments are appreciated <3


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